What is the best way to age steaks?
Why pay an extra $5 per pound for the butcher to age your steaks? Here's what I do:
1. Clear refrigerator shelf, put refrig thermometer on same shelf
2. Lovingly pat steak dry, whisper words of encouragement to steak, "you can do it! i have faith in you!"
3. Get a baking sheet, line with 3 layers of paper towels and place wire rack on top. Place steaks on rack.
4. Age 2-5 days, changing paper towels daily
5. Before cooking, cut off any of the crusty bits
Tips
1. Best to use bottom shelf (coldest)
2. Check thermometer daily - should be at least 36 degrees F
3. You could age longer, but the whole food safety thing...you know...being diligent on minimal door opening & keeping right temp is just too stressful after the fifth day. Don't age if you have a habit of standing in front of your open refrig door to cool off in the summer.
4. You should really dry age roasts, not thin steaks. If your steak is on sale, just ask your butcher to cut you a nice big thick piece - I like them 2.5" to 6" thick. If you try aging thin steaks, all you'll get is crusty crust. Age only Choice or Prime. Don't do it with the cheap stuff - there isn't enough marbling.
5. After aging, you can then cut the big slab-o-meat into smaller steaks, vacuum seal and store in freezer.
Whats your favorite method? If you only age for 2 days, do you even notice a difference?
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6 Comments:
Thanks for the info, Steamy. I will experiment with one of the beautiful porterhouse steaks I purchased yesterday at such a bargain price.
DocChuck at 7:24AM on 05/28/07
Good tips, but do you mean at most 36F?
Lou at 9:34AM on 05/28/07
uh YEAH!!!! not warmer than 36F! sorry!
Steamy Kitchen at 2:08PM on 05/28/07
Sorry if it was a silly question, but I want to try this.
Lou at 8:44PM on 05/28/07
For some reason, I'm willing to pay the extra $10 to let Whole Foods dry age my steaks. I've only tried to do it on a couple of standing rib roasts around the holidays a few years ago, and I wasn't all that happy with the results. It brought out a very gamy flavor in the very fatty meat.
DaveFaris at 10:42AM on 05/29/07
If you don't want the gamey flavor and still be able to age in your fridge you can try drybags that I use when I age steak at home. You take the ribeye or striploin and vacuum seal it into the drybag and let it age for 21 days, the moisture comes through the bag. At the end of 21 days you trim the steaks and they come out perfect. I recommend checking out their site
www.drybagsteak.com
It seems amazing but it works. You get very consistent flavor and texture everytime you age, no odors or off flavors.
Joe Belowitz at 2:02PM on 04/04/09